Can we keep it to talk about John Stones please, there's a lot of posts to keep up with as it is already.

Funny reading back Martinez comments from earlier today knowing how the day unfolded.

Very exciting news, Stones is already a fantastic centre back and is well on course to become a world class defender. If we were to sign him it would be a fantastic deal and will hopefully put to bed any idea that we've been asleep at the wheel throughout this transfer window and also any talk of unrest behind the scenes at the club.

 

Stones' skill set should in theory be a perfect complement to that of Zouma; the former is good at proactively reading the game, slick in possession, and his decision-making is excellent considering he's only 21. The latter possesses a more raw physicality (yet obviously has a great deal of time to mature) and in theory they should make for a top-class tandem of centre backs for the next decade or so. This is very, very exciting; for years now I've lived in terror of JT finally giving up the ghost and we have finally identified a player who might be worthy of succeeding him.

 

Obviously this saga isn't quite over yet though. Considering how up front and vocal we've been about our interest in Stones I'm not exactly scared of a 'Pedro to Man Utd' situation occurring, but there are only six days of the window left and this is a big deal to get done. It's looking very good at the moment, but I'll be keeping my fingers crossed until he's officially announced.

Look at the reply I got

"I saw it on mumsnet. So woman was talking about wanting kids but not being sure her tyke husband was up,for it because he was a wrestling fan still.

Doubt it was you though."

It's blue daze these are almost exact things he said to me on PMs.

  

That's not the mod though is it? Could our mods contact them?

Bidet been skulking around then, what a surprise.

The mods can check the u r thingy between them surely.

All sorted at our end ( Grand Old Team )

Stones is ace, I hope we dig our heels in and keep him for another 12 months, but it's probably unlikely :(

What happens if (probably when...) Everton reject his transfer request, do we bid even more?

What happens if (probably when...) Everton reject his transfer request, do we bid even more?

I don't think they will BB, just a feeling, think this will be done tomorrow lunchtime.

I don't think they will BB, just a feeling, think this will be done tomorrow lunchtime.

Fingers crossed! I'm not sure I am as confident as you but I suppose like many people have said, he's burned his bridges and the club will probably let him leave.

All sorted at our end ( Grand Old Team )

Stones is ace, I hope we dig our heels in and keep him for another 12 months, but it's probably unlikely :(

Thanks again mate much appreciated

Of course agree with your keeping Stones haha whatever happens happens though.

What happens if (probably when...) Everton reject his transfer request, do we bid even more?

The transfer request hopefully brings Everton to the negotiation table. At that point hopefully it's a case of asking them to name their price and meeting it.

hahaha wtf is this about blue daze bob? Now there's a name i didn't think i'd say again!

 

The neck beard's on an Everton forum? someone trace his ip and give it to me, ill send it on to anonymous for crimes against 'the international football forum association'!!

 

dont mess with IFFA!!

 

anyway....

 

good work stonesy!

ULTRALOL.

 

"One more thing. We don't sell Stones now and play hard ball then I don't see Mourinho coming back for him until next summer. Chelsea need CBs one way or the other. They may look elsewhere in January as its a more expensive market at that time. This could mean Everton auctioning Stones next summer. Sell it to anyone but Chelsea I hope. Hope Mourinho is sacked on 3rd September."

EVERTON 'CHASE FAZIO'

Everton have made a £5m move for Tottenham centre back Federico Fazio, according to the Daily Mail.

Fazio has held talks with West Bromwich Albion already this summer, but the Mail say Everton have moved quickly to prepare for John Stones' departure.

This will go all the way to deadline day, I'm feeling. 

Boom, transfer request in.. Let's see what kind if man martinez is now..

34 million here we come

My biggest regret in all of this is that nobody asked Martinez why he was so upset that our bids got leaked. Be interesting to hear Roberto's answer. Was he hoping to keep our bids a secret from Stones? What planet is he on? Firstly, in the modern game it's impossible to keep these things secret from the player concerned, and secondly, it's unethical anyway. 

My biggest regret in all of this is that nobody asked Martinez why he was so upset that our bids got leaked. Be interesting to hear Roberto's answer. Was he hoping to keep our bids a secret from Stones? What planet is he on? Firstly, in the modern game it's impossible to keep these things secret from the player concerned, and secondly, it's unethical anyway. 

 

I'd be pretty sure that either his agent or Everton themselves leaked the bid in a hope of getting an auction for his services started. We had no reason whatsoever to do so and goes contrary to all our recent transfer dealings.

I'd be pretty sure that either his agent or Everton themselves leaked the bid in a hope of getting an auction for his services started. We had no reason whatsoever to do so and goes contrary to all our recent transfer dealings.

Sure we had a reason, get a transfer request from Stones, and its paid off.

He's just PMd me this

"Wow... That woman must've been telling the truth. Hope you guys have gotten better. She really wanted kids. Loved spending money too. Something about driving"

This is turning into an episode of catfish!

Sure we had a reason, get a transfer request from Stones, and its paid off.

 

No need to go public for that. A quiet word to his agent is more than enough.

More than one way to skin a cat. Look at the position Everton are in now, former players have even recommended he move. Public pressure does wonders sometimes

Tactics, pardon the pun.

The price tag is now in the ridiculous zone. I mean if we are willing to spend 40M or more, why not ring up Real and ask about Varane? Let's say he cost 60M, not a bad deal considering he's proven and at the same age group as Stone. Another factor is with no decent improvement in the midfield, we will still have the situation of Matic covering all the space in front of the defenders, any great defenders will be in trouble with attacking players have time and space to pick a pass behind them. We should tell Everton to get stuffed, they could keep an unhappy player for another year.

The transfer request is obviously good news for us but I don't think it changes that much in terms of Everton's own position. They may still decide not to do business. Remember two seasons ago when Suarez put in a transfer request? Liverpool rejected it and despite Arsenal's best efforts (£40m + £1) he ended up staying, and they then sold him for £70m to Barca the next season. Mark my words, Kenwright and co. will exploring similar hypotheses such as this. They know that Stones isn't going to f*ck about if he doesn't get his move with the Euro's coming up next Summer.

I'm assuming we have and he's not for sale.

People keep mentioning Varane but he's hardly going to leave a club like Madrid where he is a major part of their starting 11.

The transfer request is obviously good news for us but I don't think it changes that much in terms of Everton's own position. They may still decide not to do business. Remember two seasons ago when Suarez put in a transfer request? Liverpool rejected it and despite Arsenal's best efforts (£40m + £1) he ended up staying, and they then sold him for £70m to Barca the next season. Mark my words, Kenwright and co. will exploring similar hypotheses such as this. They know that Stones isn't going to f*ck about if he doesn't get his move with the Euro's coming up next Summer.

They also need to think about how sh*t they have done the past season or two.

Could £30 odd million give them 2/3 players to challenge for a top 6 finish, a cup run or even top 4?

Stones value won't go up by much, not in terms of Suarez who was and is one of the best striker in the world, that's the difference IMO

Davey...first off let me say I do enjoy your posts but I do have a difference of opinion in this case....you may be right in your assessment but the incompetence demonstrated by both Spuds and Bindippers in buying the players they did after letting go their best players in incomprehensible.  The first question is perhaps, Why did those players want to leave Spurs and Liverpool?  The lure of a bigger club and a bigger wage packet no doubt played a part plus the opportunity to play in the CL and be on the world stage; and I am sure the $$$ signs for the Chairman of the selling club also went some way of letting the players go.  

 

While I understand that clubs outside of the supposed 'top 4' all want a part of Champions League Football, the reality is that the % of achieving that these days is very small with the hope that of one of the 'top 4' comes a cropper and even then a team hopes that they become one of the lucky ones to creep in the 4th spot, and even that is a dog fight among probably 4 other teams. Now, although I stated 'tongue in cheek' that Everton are a mediocre side, I suppose I should give them an 'above average' rating within those teams I consider mediocre (teams finishing 6-10)

 

To even give yourself a chance to achieve a top 4 you need a wad of cash, and yes I suppose you can say teams buy a top 4 spot; that unfortunately is the truth across Spain, Italy, France and Germany....the CL has become for all intense and purposes a monopoly...much like F1, Baseball, NBA and any other sport you care to name where money and sponsorship is involved; the bigger the team the more sponsorship money they generate, the more successful they are and the more they buy the best players and that is a fact.  And yes there is the odd blip now and then when a smaller team creeps into the top tier but it is soon corrected when the next season comes around.   I think everyone knows that to compete today in the CL and your domestic league, you need a very good squad consisting of mainly world class international players....how are Everton ever going to attract that sort of talent and even build a squad of about 23-25 players of that calibre.  One or two players with a high market value can bring in 3 - 6 very good international players ...if they want to come, see the prospect of a CL spot and are paid high wages and lets be fair some need their ego stroked too...so what are the prospects of Everton attracting these types of players over Liverpool or Spurs, because even they can't attract the calibre players they need to compete within the CL or challenge for the title domestically when you look at the squads of Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and loosely Man U who I think at this moment are probably the weakest and most vulnerable of falling outside the top 4.  

 

If Everton sold Stones for 40+ mill I believe they could buy at least 2 high quality players, after all we just paid 20mill+ for Pedro and I am sure if Everton looked hard enough around Europe they could find another 20mill world class / CL experienced player that would love the idea of playing every week in the EPL whereas by going to the likes of a top 4 team they would be in all likelihood be sat on the bench.  By buying quality players at least it would give Everton a hope of reaching the top 4; not that I have sour grapes that it looks like Everton will be keeping Stones, but I do think that it is hindering there ability to buy 2-3 players that will help them domestically in order to reach a top 4 spot, or perhaps they are hoping that by keeping Stones his value will increase...but then the reality is he is of no value if they intend keeping him, he only becomes 'valued' when they decide to sell.  If I was the Chairman of Everton I would sell Stones; there is more than one way to skin a cat here and get a deal done; include quality player(s) + cash or loan deals, Christ Chelsea for one have a ton of good players on loan and quite a few fringe players and so do City and Utd.  If it's a CB that you need to replace then flipping well ask for one in return as part of the deal, perm transfer or otherwise.

 

 IMO Everton are just being stubborn to prove a point that they won't be bullied by one of the top 4, with the hoodwinking of the fans that they are building for the future...what future?  As time goes by the top 4 will get financially stronger, better sponsorship deals, improved TV deals etc, their buying power will be too strong for teams outside of the top 4; the likes of Everton will still be way behind in terms of revenue unless they are bought by a billionaire and will fall further behind in their dream of making it to the CL.  How will Everton compete with the likes of us, Man City, Man Utd when the best players will be bought and sold in excess of 100mill.   Everton's and other teams window of opportunity to buy quality players is closing fast, by next season we will see the first of the many 100 mill players with wages way beyond 300,000 per week; best of luck Everton if you can compete with that.   The EPL will become, if it hasn't already the same as Spain, Italy, Germany and France, the same teams winning the League and gaining places in Europe with the odd blip i.e. Althetico Madrid upsetting the apple cart.

 

Sorry Davey I strayed from the topic...but these are my thoughts.  I just disagree with Everton.

 

Good post mate.

 

For me, if you sell your best players, you have zero chance of remaining competitive, but I fully understand why these clubs sell and I fully understand why players leave.

 

Look at the team Spurs could have, with Modric, Bale, Berbatov, Carrick, we could go on and on. They'll lose Lloris and Kane too soon we all know that. Arsenal too, sold their best player every summer and didn't win anything for year on year. I can't think of a single team that has a policy of selling their best players and does better as a result, no matter how much money they receive.

 

I'm sure you'll correct me and name that team, and possibly more than one.